History of PERSEKUTUAN TANAH MELAYU (1950-1954)
To appease Malay opposition to jus soli, RIDA (Rural Industrial Development Authority) was formed to improve their conditions; Onn Jaafar assumed the first chairmanship but Malay opposition to jus soli continued. Disillusioned, Onn left UMNO. Tengku Abdul Rahman was elected the second President of UMNO after defeating Ahmad Fuad who in turn left UMNO and formed the Pan Malayan Islamic Party (now PAS). Meanwhile the communists intensified their operations. The British High Commissioner Henry Gurney was killed in an ambush at Fraser's Hill. The Bukit Kepong police station was attacked and most police defenders along with their families died. Gerald Templer was appointed to replace Gurney. Strategic new villages were built in remote areas to deny the communists food and medical supplies. 'Home Guards' were formed to provide security to new villages; women and old citizens recruited and taught the use of firearms. Commonwealth forces were brought in to help. Templer's strategies of winning the 'hearts and minds' eventually brought victory and many communist infested areas were declared 'white areas'. UMNO and MCA formed the Alliance Party and won the contest in the first municipal election in Kuala Lumpur and formed the Kuala Lumpur Municipal Council. This victory attracted the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) under V.T. Sambanthan to join the alliance. The cry for independence gathered momentum with certain persons mocking the term 'merdeka' (independence) as 'mentega' (butter). A small section of nationalists wanted to use coercion in the fight for independence and they formed the 'Barisan 33' (Front 33).
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